A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Breaking: FBI Sting Arrests At SHOT Show!

When they came for the “assault weapons” I said nothing for I had only “sporting arms”. When they came for the FFL’s I said nothing for I did not have an FFL. When they came for me there were none to help for they were all in jail.

Welcome to Obamageddon boys and girls! If it ain’t on in your neighborhood now it will be soon.

WASHINGTON — Twenty-two executives and employees at suppliers to the military and law enforcement agencies were arrested on the eve of their industry’s annual trade show in Las Vegas after a 2 1/2-year undercover sting operation aimed at schemes to bribe a foreign official.

The Justice Department called the case the largest single investigation and prosecution of individuals in the history of the 1977 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars bribery of foreign government officials. It also is the first large-scale use of an undercover operation in enforcing the corrupt practices act.

Excerpt From Press Release:
The indictments charge the following executives and employees of the various companies in the military and law enforcement product industries:

•Daniel Alvirez, 32, and Lee Allen Tolleson, 25, the president and director of acquisitions and logistics at a company in Bull Shoals, Ark., that manufactures and sells law enforcement and military equipment;
•Helmie Ashiblie, 44, the vice president and founder of a company in Woodbridge, Va., that supplies tactical bags and other security-related articles for law enforcement agencies and governments worldwide;
•Andrew Bigelow, 40, the managing partner and director of government programs for a Sarasota, Fla., company that sells machine guns, grenade launchers and other small arms and accessories;
•R. Patrick Caldwell, 61, and Stephen Gerard Giordanella, 50, the current and former chief executive officers of a Sunrise, Fla., company that designs and manufactures concealable and tactical body armor;
•Yochanan R. Cohen, aka Yochi Cohen, 47, the chief executive officer of a San Francisco company that manufactures security equipment, including body armor and ballistic plates;
•Haim Geri, 50, the president of a North Miami Beach, Fla., company that serves as a sales agent for companies in the law enforcement and military products industries;
•Amaro Goncalves, 49, the vice president of sales for a Springfield, Mass., company that designs and manufactures firearms, firearm safety/security products, rifles, firearms systems and accessories;
•John Gregory Godsey, aka Greg Godsey, 37, and Mark Frederick Morales, 37, the owner and agent of a Decatur, Ga., company that sells ammunition and other law enforcement and military equipment;
•Saul Mishkin, 38, the owner and chief executive officer of an Aventura, Fla., company that sells law enforcement and military equipment;
•John M. Mushriqui, 28, and Jeana Mushriqui, 30, the director of international development and general counsel/U.S. manager of an Upper Darby, Penn., company that manufactures and exports bulletproof vests and other law enforcement and military equipment;
•David R. Painter, 56, and Lee M. Wares, 43, the chairman and director of a United Kingdom company that markets armored vehicles;
•Pankesh Patel, 43, the managing director of a United Kingdom company that acts as sales agent for companies in the law enforcement and military products industries;
•Ofer Paz, 50, the president and chief executive officer of an Israeli company that acts as sales agent for companies in the law enforcement and military products industries;
•Jonathan M. Spiller, 58, the owner and president of a Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., company that markets and sells law enforcement and military equipment;
•Israel Weisler, aka Wayne Weisler, 63, and Michael Sacks, 66, owners and co-chief executive officers of a Stearns, Ky., company that designs, manufactures and sells armor products, including body armor;
•John Benson Wier III, 46, the president of a St. Petersburg, Fla., company that sells tactical and ballistic equipment.
All of the defendants except Giordanella were arrested yesterday by FBI agents in Las Vegas. Giordanella was arrested in Miami, also by FBI agents.

Inside the packed courtroom of U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen, lawyers, federal agents and observers sat shoulder to shoulder throughout the three-hour hearing, which was delayed several times so deputy U.S. marshals could move the handcuffed defendants in and out of the courtroom in waves.

The defendants worked for companies in eight states and businesses in the United Kingdom and Israel. Five were citizens of the United Kingdom, two were from Israel and one was from Peru.

Leen released 13 of the defendants, most with conditions such as surrendering their passports and paying bonds. They must appear Feb. 3 in federal court in Washington, D.C., where the case is being prosecuted.

13 responses to “Breaking: FBI Sting Arrests At SHOT Show!”

This is such utter BS. I know Helmie, he’s a great guy who makes range bags and cloth tactical gear. Now he’s being treated like somebody who’s selling nerve gas to dictators? This is insane. Our own DOJ just shot our own businesses in the neck. Their foreign competition must be laughing themselves silly today.

I’ve been to the last 4 SHOT Shows, but I’m sitting this one out. Darn!

(I found this site via Free Republic, which is running a few threads on it today.)

As I am sure you are aware, George W. was hardly a friend of a Constitutional Right to Keep And Bear Arms.

He installed “Maximum Mike” Sullivan as “Acting BATFE” Director and was happy to keep the absurd Child Safety Trigger Lock Program fully funded both as Texas Governor and nationally as President.

If you wish to review history ask why Jimmy Carter, of all people, found it necessary to pass special legislation to control “Corrupt Foreign Practices” after the Republic managed to survive for 200 years without such Government oversight.

Or ask why the act lay dormant for 30 years and has now suddenly found new life directed at the 2nd Amendment complete with the discredited tactic of a “sting” operation?

Israel Weisler, aka Wayne Weisler and Michael Sacks are both crooks to the worst extent. I hate to admit this but I actually worked there and I can tell you there is some really shady deals that happened with Wayne & Company. If the FBI digs further on US Cavalry & Armorshield they would find even more goodies…beyond just simple bribes. Hope Wayne & Michael both get time for this and US Cavalry & Armorshield closes…they suck anyway.

The whole investigation is pathetic. Going after hard-working businessmen just wanting to earn a living rather than go after those truly capable of underhanded behaviour!!

I am fully aware that you are a bitter ex-employee who got sacked! And poor you the tax payer (if you have managed to secure yourself another job!) who is going to have to waste your money on paying for such a ridiulous trial!

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The Arms Export Control Act and the regulations at 22CFR120-130, International Traffic in Arms Regulations, have been around since 1976. Export of US made products that have military applications require a license. So do technology transfers, and even assistance. If you bother to look up the United States Munitions List, you’ll find that some very nondescript items can get you in a lot of trouble. An “export” doesn’t mean you have to move the goods out the USA either, only to put them in the hands of a non US Person. Any business person who sells military equipment or arms and isn’t aware of the ITAR should go to jail for personal stupidity. THIS is precisely why we DO NOT NEED a United Nations treaty on small arms, nor do we need to sign on to CIFTA. I have little sympathy for “businessmen” who knowingly violate the law, and then get run in by the FBI for running afoul of the Office of Defense Trade Controls.

Yeah, and if you accept uncrossed “T”s and undotted “I”s on a 4473 you lose your FFL and if you are accused by a patrol officer of driving without a seatbelt you can be detained for no other reason for up to 48 hours as per the Supreme Court.

Nice little totalitarian society you support.

If the Eye Of Mordor ever falls upon you be not surprised if everyone looks the other way.

Coincidentally they were screwing around with ITAR just about 2 years ago.

The thing to see about this issue in my opinion is: In the long run will be how many of these people actually do any real jail time versus what fines they and the companies they work for end up paying.

I think this is a way for the FBI / DOJ to generate / extort revenue out of a target / industry that they know has the money to pay.

The “corrupt deal” and process they describe is how the business is actually done by all non -American countries in the arms export business. The DOJ and DTC are the best friends and assets that foreign arms manufacturers have. You have to be in the export side of the industry to know the truth. We are not talking about any weapons or equipment that would change any of the world power structures either.

Very sad. That’s why they grabbed the Israeli guys here in Vegas. They could never grab them outside of the US on a charge like this, because it’s business as usual in all over the rest of the world.